Good Company and Hot Chocolate
by Olafur Neal
Summary: Just a brief story, not short enough to be a drabble but not long enough to be an actual fic... Just a little look into one of Sharon and Andy's not dates, after a hard case. Kind of pre-ship, I know this sounds a little disjointed but I wrote it as a way to battle sleeplessness, so it was more of a writing exercise than anything. I know I do a fabulous job of selling the fic...


**So I couldn't sleep last night and so I thought I'd write to tire myself out and this happened. It started sort of aimlessly and became a thing, so I hope you guys like it. I beta'd it myself, several times, from notebook to computer, from doc to website. These characters aren't mine they belong to James Duff. I'm just taking them out to play with for a little bit; I will put them back unharmed. Please leave a review and tell me how you liked it or didn't, just be kind. Enjoy! :)**

"You okay?" Andy asked as he closed the door softly behind him. It'd been a tough case for everyone involved.

"Nothing a warm milk, and a hug from my father can't fix." She sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose.

He nodded his understanding. Even at their ages there were still some things only a parent could fix. "Well I can provide at least one of those things, and a pale imitation of the other."

She laughed softly. "I'd rather not picture you as my father."

He chuckled. "I appreciate that." He pulled at his suit jacket. "Why don't I provide my own brand of comfort and take you to a diner I know."

"I'm not very good company right now." She fiddled with files on her desk, stalling.

He rounded her desk, crouching beside her. "It's not your job to be good company. It's mine to provide the good company, and the best hot chocolate in Southern California. Whaddaya say?"

Her eyes sparkled. "You should've opened with the hot chocolate."

XXX

At the diner they talked about everything and nothing. Andy regaled her with stories of his childhood in Jersey, and she in turn shared stories of summer spent along the Long Island Sound. Their backgrounds weren't remotely similar but it didn't stop them from finding common themes.

Sharon's face was flushed from laughing. "This was a great idea." She took a sip from her second cup of cocoa, a dot of whip cream clinging to her nose.

Andy grinned, taking a napkin as he reached across the table to grasp her chin, steadying her. Then he cleaned the cream carefully from the tip of her nose. "I've been known to have a few of them in my time."

She blushed slightly, ducking to surreptitiously wipe at her face. She looked up to see him smiling at her. "Where did you find this place?"

"My old partner, Lewis, used to work here as a teenager and kept coming back. It's been in the same family since 1945. It's one of those LA oddities that you only know about if you look for it or are a local." He tipped his mug toward her, adding. "Or know a local."

Sharon looked around the restaurant with new eyes, soaking up the history. She noted the small changes over time, markers of the eras as they passed: a jukebox, a longboard, and even some obviously 80's-esque wall decals. Pieces of history that shouldn't have fit together but somehow they did. She looked at Andy, who was unashamedly staring at her. "You take me to the most interesting places."

He smirked. "It's all part of my charm, I can't be too predictable." He took a swig of his own hot chocolate.

Sharon only snorted in response.

XXX

Ever the gentleman Andy walked Sharon to her car, opening her door for her, after she unlocked it.

Sharon smiled up at him, half turned in the small space between him and her car. "Thank you for a lovely evening. Sleep seems like an actual prospect now."

He shrugged. "Working with homicides is tough, even for people who've worked it for 20 years. I'm glad I could help, even if it's just drinking hot chocolate and telling you about Jersey."

Her smiled remained but became warmer, "Good night Andy." She pushed up on the balls of her feet and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

She got into her vehicle, and waited as a slightly dazed Andy Flynn closed her door with a distracted, good night, on his lips. He stepped away and waved as she drove off into the night.


End file.
